Online tools and mobile apps can help you improve organisation and planning. These apps and tools make it easier than ever to ditch the pen and go digital. Here is our selection of the best free and paid-for small business apps that can help you with planning and managing your business more efficiently and effectively
With so many apps on the market it can be difficult to know which will be best for your business. Much will depend on what your business does and how you do it, where your current inefficiencies lie, the size of your team and your budget. There are free and paid-for versions of most apps. See our top project management apps below.
**Note Prices/fees correct on 12/09/2024 (special offers may apply)
Best apps for to-do lists
monday.com
A simple, visual and customisable project management and planning tool that lets you manage all your team's work in one place. Get started quickly and easily see what everyone in your team is working on and manage to-do lists, tasks, and projects across your business. Pricing and features hit the sweet spot for smaller teams, but larger businesses with more complex project management requirements may want to look elsewhere. You can try things out with a 14-day free trial and small teams might manage with the free, basic plan for up to two members. Paid plans start at £8 per month.
Google Tasks
Get things done with Google's plain but popular system for managing, capturing and editing your tasks. It integrates with Gmail and can be synchronised across all your devices. Free Apple and Android apps.
Microsoft To Do
Never lose track of tasks, organise notes and improve productivity with this reliable cloud-based to-do-list app. Use the Task Manager to share lists with colleagues and colour-coded lists to distribute tasks. It’s one of the best free online planners around, from a brand that you can trust. Free.
Todoist
You can prioritise, set reminders, collaborate with others and plan the best way to tackle tasks with this highly popular to-do-list app. Free for up to 5 projects. Pro plans start from $4 per month (billed annually).
Omnifocus
Omnifocus records and organises all your to-dos and syncs them so you can get an up-to-date state of play wherever you are. A business planning app powerhouse that's available for iPhone and iPad. Paid plans from $9.99 per month.
Best apps for managing projects
Work smarter
Keep your projects on track, on time and on budget with project management software. Find the right solution for your small business from one of our great donut partners:
Smartsheet
Smartsheet is an award-winning project management software package that can integrate with a host of enterprise systems and apps. Smartsheet brings your people and processes together, delivering real-time insights that allow you to deliver successful outcomes, faster. Smartsheet will appeal to spreadsheet enthusiasts, while it also offers powerful features that allow you to create a platform for running your business. Visualise your projects with Gantt charts and automate routine, manual tasks, leaving your people free to focus on the work that matters. Smartsheet might be too sophisticated for many smaller busineses. There's a free package for a single user and paid packages start at £7 per user per month
Asana
The free plan from Asana (which is limited to 10 users) can be a good entry-level introduction to project management software, especially if you don’t need fully-featured project management capabilities. Asana is a solid collaboration and task management tool that is ideal for remote teams. Paid plans start at £9.49 per user per month.
HubSpot
HubSpot offers a range of integrated tools for managing sales, customer service, content and commerce that makes managing marketing and sales much simpler with one single platform. Spend less time planning and more time marketing with this free online tool that brings together your teams, tools and data. There is a free package for up to five seats and the marketing hub starter costs £14 per person per month.
Wrike
Wrike allows you to visualise project progress, share files, and manage resources, all in one place. Wrike's project management software helps you avoid delays, collaborate across teams, and seamlessly execute your projects. The free version offers extensive task management functionality but may prove too complex for many smaller businesses. A powerful alternative to Microsoft Project, Wrike is will most likely appeal to larger businesses. Prices start at $9.80 per user per month.
teamwork
teamwork offers all the project management essentials you need. teamwork is easy-to-use, flexible, and feature-rich. It also integrates with a host of tools including Slack, HubSpot and Zapier. Individuals and small teams (up to five people) can use the software for free, but the functionality may be too limited for some. There are also paid-for options for businesses managing more complex projects or with larger teams. Paid plans start from £10.99 per month (billed annually).
ClickUp
Whether you like seeing your data in boards, charts, or lists, ClickUp has the view for you. Empowering small businesses with low costs, strong customer support, and a forward-thinking approach, it's project management done right. This classy, collaborative project management tool saves you time and energy with ready-made templates, while helping your business scale. Team sharing is only available with paid plans, which start st $7 per user per month.
Microsoft Project
Integration with the Microsoft 365 family of software - including Microsoft Teams for collaboration and Microsoft 365, OneDrive and SharePoint software - and powerful features make this a market leader. The low-cost entry level package will be sufficient for many smaller businesses, But it’s not the simplest option for smaller businesses and you may need to invest in training to get started and make the most of the software. There's no free version. Packages cost £4.90 - £18.10 per user per month or £8.60 per user per month for Microsoft 365 Apps for Business.
Trello
Trello aims to make project management fun and flexible, by organising projects into the boards, lists and cards. It’s a simple and intuitive system that offers a great deal of control and visibility for business owners making it an easy to use tool for organising tasks within a team. Free for individuals and small teams, paid plans start ay just $5 per user per month. Trello does lack the full project management capabilities of more powerful competitors, although the paid plan allows added integrations to deliver more powerful collaboration functionality.
Airtable
Another spreadsheet-related tool, Airtable could be a simpler alternative to Smartsheet for smaller businesses. It's quick to get started and is easy to learn with its bold visual design and useful visualisation tools to help track progress. It's a strong contender for those looking for a solution that enables collaboration, particularly for marketing projects. The free package offers reasonable core functionality but it lacks full project management planning and reporting functionality that a bigger team might need. Prices start at $20 per user per month.
MeisterTask
The clear focus on core functionality makes this one of the easier packages to get started with. Visually appealing and easy to use, adding the optional MindMeister makes this a strong choice for creative teams looking to brainstorm ideas. Integrations offer the flexibility to build on additional tools if you need them. There's a free basic package for managing up to three projects and paid plans start at £10 per user per month.
Best apps for organising your thoughts and ideas
Mindly
Organise your mind with this free, intuitive mind-mapping tool. Capture ideas and store them in the cloud, or forward to friends and colleagues when inspiration hits.
Lucidchart
Quickly visualise processes, teams and systems with intelligent diagrams that help you simplify complex ideas. Lucidchart brings your plans to life with a common visual language that makes it easy to involve the right people at the right time. There's a free plan for up to three charts and paid plans starting at £9 per month for individuals and £10 per month for team users.
Other project planning tools
Slack
Slack is a popular business planning app for managing digital teams and is free for small teams. It brings everything related to a project or team together in one place and gives you the ability to share files. There's also an app store where you can add a number of additional integrations. Slack also offers a free trial and paid plans from £7 per user per month.
nTask
Whether it's planning a work project or a family event, ntask helps you stay organised and meet deadlines. See all your tasks and team tasks in a range of views and improve visibility and communication so that your tasks are completed successfully. A free trial is availale with paid plans for individuals and small teams starting at $3 per month.
Jira project management
If you need a more comprehensive and traditional project management solution, Jira is a workflow-based system that allows you to visualise your project – from creation to delivery. It’s backed up by some serious processing power, with customisable dashboards and performance management metrics. There's a free forever plan for up to ten users and more advanced paid plans starting at $7.16 per user per month.
Toggl
Keep track of the time spent – and resource invested – in your projects. Toggl can be synced across devices, giving you a breakdown of time spent on projects and for customers. It’s particularly useful at crunching the numbers on complex projects, giving you a realistic time estimate for budgeting or billing. Toggl offers a free plan for up to five users. Paid plans start at $10 per user per month.
Best communication apps
Staying in touch is crucial especially when teams are working remotely, on the road or at home. It also plays a vital role in ensuring staff feel part of a team, reducing the feelings of isolation that could develop while working remotely for long periods. As a business owner, communication apps can help you stay in communication and in control.
Slack
Reduce email with this popular online business communication tool. You can create channels for conversations, focusing on specific topics or projects. It can integrate with existing cloud programmes, like GDrive, DropBox and Asana to securely share documents. Free trial and paid plans starting at £7 per user per month are available.
Owned by Facebook and beloved by teenagers, WhatsApp offers high-levels of encryption which makes it a secure platform for business communication. It’s less sophisticated than Slack but perfect for group chats about work (and leisure). Free.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams allows your team to chat, meet, call and collaborate in one place. You can also hold conference calls or video calls with external guests. It’s become indispensable to businesses during lockdown and is likely to stay that way as the ways we work change for good. Sign up is free. An upgraded version of Microsoft Teams is also available as part of Microsoft 365.
Zoom
This popular video conferencing platform enables users to share content like presentations and documents while on calls. As well as voice and video, you can use text chat at the same time to collaborate. It works on desktop, laptop, tablet and phone. There are questions about its security, so use it wisely and protect essential information. The basic plan for one user and up to 40 minutes per meeting is free. Pro plans start at £12.99 per user per month billed monthly.
Flock
Flock is a sophisticated communication tool that includes some innovative tools to improve workflow and collaboration. As well as text chats, video conferences and voice calls, you can create To-do lists, write notes and collaborate on documents. There's a free plan for up to 20 users. Paid plans are available starting at $4.50 per user per month for larger teams.
Best file sharing and storage apps
It’s essential that your staff have access to the files they need to complete their work, but they must be safe and secure while doing so.
Google Drive
It’s simple to store, share and access files with Google Drive which is part of the Google Workspace suite (which includes collaboration tools like Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Chat, Drive, Docs and Sheets). Drive integrates with and complements your team’s existing technology. Collaborate with and edit Microsoft Office files without the need to convert file formats. Available with 2-step verification and detailed document controls, it’s a robust system for small businesses. Personal accounts are free to use and business accounts start from just £5 per user per month.
DropBox
A simple drag and drop storage system, DropBox allows you to store all types of document, synchronising across devices when there’s a network connection. As well as storage, DropBox business has expanded its services, offering a smarter workspace for communication and collaboration. Prices start from just £7.99 per month for an individual user.
OneDrive
A subscription-based online storage solution from Microsoft that securely stores all Office 365 file formats. This intelligent files app works across desktop, tablet and mobile. Prices start at just £4.10 per user per month.
SugarSync
Automatically syncs files and folders across multiple computers, allowing you to access business documents, photos and music wherever you are. SugarSync also offers automatic, continuous backup for all your files. Free 30-day trial. Paid plans start at $7.49 per month.
Zapier
This nifty tool enables you to seamlessly transfer information, zapping data between common platforms like Gmail, DropBox and Slack. It allows you to create workflows, intelligently sharing files immediately with the staff that need them. There is a free plan for up to 100 tasks per month. Paid plans start at £15.50 per month.
Best creative collaboration apps
Working remotely shouldn’t inhibit inspiration. Creative collaboration across networks is entirely possible, as these tools demonstrate.
Google Workspace
Google Doc and Google Sheets are the big hitters in the Google Workspace. They can be used to create and collaborate on text documents and spreadsheets, with various users able to log in to provide real-time document changes and edits. Personal accounts are free to use and business accounts start from just £5 per user per month.
Canva
What started as a simple online DTP tool is now a powerful platform for creative design and communication. Multiple users can edit documents, with a suite of pre-built templates making elegant design simple. Canva is free for individuals and plans for teams start at £90 per person per year.
Xtensio
If you need to create sales presentations or proposals, Xtensio allows you to collaborate with your sales team to create appealing and effective one-pagers and landing pages. This user-friendly platform can help you create compelling sales documents with minimal effort. Free for your first folio. Premium features can be unlocked from $9.99 per user per month (paid annually).
